


Angel

by Plz_Humor_My_Ships



Series: Bandom Oneshots/Multifics [11]
Category: Bandom, Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, Panic! at the Disco
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Basement Gerard Way, Brotherly Love, Eventual Romance, Gay, Happy Ending, Implied/Referenced Torture, M/M, Mutilation, Non-Graphic Violence, Not Waycest, Overprotective, PTSD, Slow Burn, Solitude, Violence, Wingfic, Wings, could be Waycest if you're desperate and squint, gerard has beauiful wings, highschool, prolouge, protective Mikey
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-03
Updated: 2018-09-18
Packaged: 2019-07-06 08:48:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15882654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Plz_Humor_My_Ships/pseuds/Plz_Humor_My_Ships
Summary: The day Gerard finally got his wings was simultaneously the best and worst day of his life. To obtain something so devastatingly beautiful, but equally as dangerous. Something that defined his social appeal, kept so well hidden, it hurt him, deeply.Centuries ago, people with wings began popping up out of nowhere, spreading inexplicably until all of humanity gained wings when they came of age at sixteen. Wings could come in any shape, size or colour, some more common than others, many reflecting bird counter-parts. Gerard Way on his sixteenth, fully expected to gain mixed brown wings like his parents and a majority of the population. But was shocked and frightened when he did not.Now Gerard has to figure out how to manage an overprotective brother, a crush, and a world famous band without outing his wings in the process.Let me tell you, it’s one wild ride.(Better than description. First chapter is a prologue to provide some context. Please enjoy!)





	1. Prolouge 1/3

**Author's Note:**

> I've already written the first three chapters so it should be regulated for a while but don't get your hopes up, i'm shit at sheduling. But I like this idea so I'll do my best
> 
> If you read this, please leave a comment or a kudo to let me know to keep going. 
> 
> thats all thanks.  
> enjoy.

Prologue

 

_The day Gerard finally got his wings was simultaneously the best and worst day of his life. To obtain something so devastatingly beautiful, but equally as dangerous. Something that defined his social appeal, kept so well hidden, it hurt him, deeply._

\--

Gerard awoke on his sixteenth birthday with an overwhelming sense of excitement, as he lay in his bed suppressing a squeal but unable to cover his ecstatic smile he pondered, on the pressure in his chest, comparing it to that feeling when your favourite song comes on and you can’t stop smiling. Imagining himself with different coloured wings, trying to picture what would suit him best. Maybe he’d have wings like his father frail and on the small side, but a lovely deep brown with grey and black down, underneath, common but handsome none the less. Or hopefully he’d be lucky enough to gain a pair similar to his mothers, equally small but lithe, and a dark yellow, mirroring the canaries they’d cared for since he was small.

As luck would have it his birthday landed on a Friday, meaning he got to take the day off school to spend the morning with his parents before his wings started to grow. He was aware the process would not be pleasant, and he deeply wished his little brother could be there to support him, but Mikey had a test that day and couldn’t afford to miss. Which was awful because he would have felt much more comfortable to share this with him. With a laugh, he threw the blanket off, dashing to get dressed, too excited to complain about the cold floor like he usually would. Nothing could dampen his mood today. Dressed in his usual, jeans and faded band-t –the Smashing Pumpkins one today- he hurried down the stairs, tripping on the last step in his haste but merely laughing when he caught himself on the railing last minute. With a slide, skidding on the timber floors in his mismatched socks, he bumped into the bench before taking a seat next to his brother.

“Are you eating my cereal?” he asked, feigning annoyance, but they both knew he didn’t really care. Grunting tiredly, Mikey pushed the box over with his spoon.

“Why are you up, you don’t have to go to school?” he asked before taking another mouthful of Gerard’s cereal. “And yours tastes better.”

“Then pick it next time” Gerard snorted, reaching for the milk “and even though I don’t have to go, you do, and I wish you could be here, when _it_ happens. So the least I can do is send you off.” Startled he almost spilt the milk on the table when he was unexpectedly pulled into a side hug.

“Happy birthday Gee.” He  muttered quietly. With his heart in his throat, he twisted in his seat to engulf his little brother, in a warm hug.

Throughout the morning he received many messages from friends and family, wishing him a happy birthday and congratulations on finally reaching his winged coming of age. Time progressed slowly for him, as though the clock was dragging it’s feet, his parents tried to curb his impatience but did so with minimal effort knowing they behaved the same when they turned sixteen. It was later while they were having lunch that Gerard started to feel strange. It wasn’t necessarily bad but it was an off feeling, as though he had to hunch to keep his balance, when he brought this to attention his mother shooed him upstairs, saying that this was a private thing and to come down or call them up when he felt ready.

And so he lay on his bed as had been instructed in the mandatory health class all seniors had to take, on his stomach with his arms folded under his head to wait for the discomfort he knew was coming. And come it did, it was like a dull burning, just dancing the line of unbearable, but he lay as still as he could and squeezed his eyes closed refusing to let the gathering tears fall, they hadn’t said it would be this bad. It was horrible, he could feel and _hear_ his bones shifting and growing, skin stretching, the throb of arteries and capillaries knitting into and around the muscle, wrapping the exposed bones, feeling raw in the cold exposed air.

Then when the pain finally receded to a dull ache, he thought it was over and relaxed into the blanket, but chocked on his sigh of relief when a burning itch spread over his new limbs as down then body feathers grew. This process wasn’t exactly painful, but the itch took all of his strength to resist, knowing that if he damaged the feathers while they first grew they’d be damaged forever, along with any future layers growing painful and wrong. He’d seen his uncles wings and it _was_ rather painful looking. As the itch subsided, he finally slumped. He was tired and sore and so very cold, reacting to the unexpected change in temperature he curled into a ball, and instinctively pulled his new wings to cover him.

Like this, he realized he felt safe, it reminded him of when he was small and scared, when the monsters under the bed woke him up with nightmares, and his mother or father would wrap him in their laps cocooned in their warm embrace and wings shielding him from the dark. Exhausted he couldn’t even be bothered to open his eyes enough to look at them, knowing they’d be there when he woke if he slept anyway. Reassured that he’d be the first to see as he knew his parents wouldn’t come in without him letting them first. Everyone needed their own time to adjust they’d said.

When he next awoke the room was dark, he felt much better even though it felt like he’d just blinked due to his lack of dreams. Letting his eyes adjust to the darkness he sat up and let his legs fall over the side of the bed to stretch, and as he stretched he was reminded of his new appendages as they unfolded with him and took that moment to get the hang of moving them. The feeling was instinctual and easy though never having them before. What wasn’t instinctual however, was the balance needed to move with this new weight shift. But, with a few tries Gerard was able to walk around his bed to reach the light switch with no trouble, Mama always said he was a fast learner.

As the click of the light sounded he winced and tried to blink away the burning in eyes cursing himself for not being prepared. His new wings puffed in response to his annoyance and reminding him of why he had turned the light on in the first place. With a grin so large, it bordered on painful he spun on his heel, finding it easier to keep his balance now with what practice he had. But as soon as his eyes locked on himself he couldn’t help but gasp.

This wasn’t right, was something wrong with him, where was the colour, why were they white! Neither of his parents had even a single white feather, neither did their parents either. But here he was, a pair of wings whiter than the unused paper in his sketch book, or the falling snow outside his window. They were long, above average, reaching his upper calf, and he knew they’d only grow larger from there, the tops being more down and semiplume feathers than body, fluffy looking then becoming the longer, sturdier mix of contour and flight feathers as they extended. Curling them around himself he brushed his fingers softly over them, as though they would disappear at contact, but they didn’t. Merely shifting beneath his fingers, the feathers, disgustingly velvet soft, and pushing deeper, the down was only increasing the plushness. As he did so, he realized that while they looked delicate, they were deceivingly powerful, the new muscles twitching with disguised strength.

At a full body scan he was irritated to discover he looked like one of those angels in his parents multiple prayer pictures. He didn’t believe in God, was this his punishment? He’d be the laughingstock at school. He was a freak. No one he had ever seen had wings like this. Sure, he wanted nice wings, but these? These were beautiful, but he just wanted to fit in, he just wanted to be normal. With a cry of frustration, he threw himself onto his bed, being careful to not crush his wings beneath him. He may have been upset, but everyone knew how sensitive wings were, he didn’t want to risk hurting them-well him..

After an hour or so of lying there and denying his parents multiple attempts to enter he finally fell asleep, this time sleeping through the night. At around nine am the next day Gerard was awoken by a soft rapping on his door, with a roll of his eyes he called to his parents that, no, they couldn’t come in.

“C’mon Gee, how long does it take to adjust to wings. Is it how they look? They can’t be that bad!” with a start Gerard looked to the alarm clock beside his bed, it was Saturday, already, he’d slept through the night rather peacefully for once? After a moment of contemplation, and a minute of trying to successfully will his wings away, he decided to let him in. Standing up to unlock the door, Gerard almost fell forwards due to the sudden lack of weight he’d adjusted too, he can see now why people usually opted to have their wings out, constantly. Then with slight hesitation, he unlocked the door, shooing Mikey in quickly, so he could close it before his parents reached his room. With the door once again securely locked, Gerard didn’t want to turn around, he didn’t want to see what his little brother would think of him.

“Show me.” he finally said, and Gerard stopped breathing.

“I can’t” he muttered back, closing his eyes, but if he knew his brother, which he liked to think he did, he knew Mikey wouldn’t give up on this, on _him_. While any other day he’d be thankful, this wasn’t one of them.

“Yes you can Gerard, there’s nothing to be afraid of, it’s just you, and me.” Resigned, he let his wings materialize behind him, adjusting accordingly to his new center of gravity. Once completely unfurled he spread them a little, letting the thirteen year old see them completely. The gasp that followed resonated through the room, the sound hitting him harshly and forcing him to bow his head and wrap his arms around himself. The movement not brining him the comfort it usually did. A smaller hand on his elbow pulled him to turn around, then with a small sigh as his only warning he was hit with what felt like a freight train, in his weak state. Mikey launched himself at him, wrapping him in a hug and unbalancing him. To avoid falling and hurting them both he turned their bodies to ensure he landed on the bed, Mikey landing on his lap, reminiscent of when they were younger.

“What are you doing!” he gasped a little hysterically, pulling Mikey closer to him, and wrapping his wings around them so he didn’t fall. Mikey didn’t complain about the position he was in, even pushing closer into his older brothers embrace.

“They’re beautiful.” He claimed, his voice muffled in Gerard’s shirt.

“They’re not” he protested back.

“They are! They’re the most amazing I’ve ever seen.“ He hesitated a moment, leaning back and reaching for the wing in front of him, stopping barely an inch from the feathers.

“Can I-“ he began “-can I touch them?”. Reluctantly unable to see why not, Gerard nodded and watched uncertainly as Mikey stared transfixed at his freakish wings. The first contact caused him to flinch, until then never having felt anything but himself touch them. But as Mikey grew in confidence, so did his ministrations, carting through the larger feathers, stroking the down and scratching lightly at the sensitive skin underneath. Feeling his body relax, Gerard rest his chin on top of Mikey’s head, letting himself enjoy the pleasant feeling.

“I can’t wait till I get mine.” Mikey admitted, Gerard hummed, taking that as the prompt it was he continued. “Yeah, I don’t really mind what wings I get, big, small, rainbow or maybe white like yours. Wouldn’t that be nice, we could match!” Gerard laughed lazily, if Mikey liked them, they couldn’t be that weird right?

“If you got rainbow, you’d look like a unicorn” he joked sarcastically, but Mikey didn’t seem to grasp that, turning his hopeful eyes up to his brother.

“Really?” he gasped. Laughing his first real laugh in a while, Gerard squeezed Mikey close to him, trapping him with his wings.

“Of course!” he cried, “The most amazing rainbow wings in the world!” laughing he wriggled his fingers between his brothers ribs, reveling in the delighted squeals.

“Stop!” Mikey manages to whimper between peals of laughter, and Gerard complied easily. “Are you still sad?” Mikey asked hesitantly, as though he thought asking would send Gerard off again, but was relieved when he only smiled.

“I’ve never been happier” he whispered, this delighted Mikey, but his smile slowly slipped from his face. “What’s up?” Gerard asked.

 “You’re gonna have to show Mom and Dad y’know”.

“Yeah” Gerard sighed, might as well get it over with. He stretched his wings and prompted them to disappear. Gently he shifted Mikey to his feet. “Could you go get them for me?”

Nodding Mikey scampered from the room. To prepare himself he took a few deep breaths and stood in full view of the door, watching anxiously as it swung open and his family filed in.

“Gerard?” his mom inquired- “Why were you hiding?” his father nodding silently.

“My wings… they’re strange. Different, and I was scared, I was scared of what you guys, Mikey and others would think- wait please let me finish” he pleaded when his dad went to intervene. “- I was scared, but Mikey helped… and you guys need to see…” closing his eyes, he let them materialize, the feeling of confinement he hadn’t realized was there, disappeared. Like with Mikey he heard a gasp, two, but this time he wasn’t tackled in an embrace. His eyes flew open when he felt soft palms grasp his face, his mother standing before him with tears in her eyes. He knew they were strange, but not _that_ bad! He whimpered and tried to pull away but she held fast, stroking his cheeks soothingly with her thumbs.

“Oh my baby boy” she whispered. “My beautiful boy, I always knew you were special, now everyone can see.”

“They’re really soft” Mikey piped up, smiling proudly for his brother, Gerard also thought it could be because he got to be the first to touch them. Laughing a little his dad stepped forward.

“May we?” he gestured to his mom then to his wings, where Mikey was pressed against his side and right wing. Speechless Gerard nodded, humming pleasantly as they both allowed sounds of wonder.

“Strange” his father muttered but his proud smile eliminated any negative intentions.

“My little angel” his mom laughed, when he groaned, while Mikey began to tease him.

“You’re never gonna live that down.”

He didn't.


	2. Prolouge 2/3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 2/3 Prologue.
> 
> Some more background knowledge.
> 
> At the same time, the best day of his life could have been the day Mikey got his wings…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are three parts to the prolouge. Each is just as important to the plot as the others.
> 
> please bare with me until the story begins?

\--

_At the same time, the best day of his life could have been the day Mikey got his wings…_

\--

On the day of Mikey’s sixteenth birthday, he’d asked Gerard to stay with him, to guide him through it. This was the highest honor someone could offer, because if the person decided to do anything out of line, it could damage their wings forever. The fact that he was trusted with this made the nineteen year old feel humbled. That day Mikey wanted to spend the day alone with Gerard in his room. Asking questions he knew their parents would sugar coat.

“Does it hurt?” he asked.

“A bit, it’s more uncomfortable than anything.”

“The health class said the feathers felt different?”

“Your wings grow first, then, the feathers grow. It’s a really strange feeling and very itchy. You can’t scratch, unless you wanna end up like Jamie from school.” Mikey winced at the twisted memory of her feathers.

“Can you help me?” Gerard smiled, unbothered by the numerous questions.

“I can’t stop the itch, but I can hold your hands away if you’d like?”

“Yeah, please.” After a few minutes when no more questions came, Gerard leaned back against the side of Mikey’s bed, eyes slipping closed, while still listening for any sounds of discomfort that marks the beginning of the change.

“…Gerard?” he hummed in acknowledgement.

“What kind of wings do you think I’ll have?” the tension in his voice was evident, and Gerard finally turned to look at his brother lying on his bed, much closer than he had been, looking at him worriedly. Gerard knew Mikey loved his wings, he’d told him so, so much over the past three years that there was no way, he couldn’t believe him. But he also knew Mikey wouldn’t want wings he had to hide, wings that put him in danger like Gerard’s did. He took no offence to that.

“Whatever they are-“ be began soothingly, sitting up to move Mikey onto his stomach when he started trying to rub at his back. “-They’ll be a part of you, and everyone will love them. And if they don’t, then I will.” Deeming him sufficiently assured Gerard took hold of Mikey’s hands, telling him the squeeze as much as he wanted. When the growth began, Gerard wanted nothing more than to look away from the gruesome sight, but the protective side of him made him watch, made him constantly check for any problems. Soon enough two naked pale wings were laying limp on Mikey’s back, stretching down to his lower thigh, a good length for new wings, not too long or short, and they were thin but lithe, no raw strength, but certainly enough to make for a pair of strong wings as they develop.

Once they started to twitch, Gerard pulled Mikey’s hands further up the bed and held them firmly, ensuring he couldn’t itch. Once the feathers started spreading, Mikey started shaking with restraint, the feathers coming in slower than Gerard’s had, which concerned him, as he’d just barely kept from squirming, and if it was taking this long then.. His worries were proven correct when Mikey started pulling against his hold, and when that didn’t work, he thrashed, forcing Gerard to move a knee on his shoulder.

Watching in horror as a few flight feathers were agitated too much, and bent then twisted the wrong ways. Struggling to keep his calm, while Mikey panicked, he pulled both hands into one of his own, and quickly but gently moved the feathers back to how they were supposed to be before they set. Studying them carefully for any other discrepancies and releasing Mikey once he’d calmed.

Prompting Mikey to sleep Gerard took a moment to study his brothers wings. Like he’d suspected with the growth of the feathers the length now just reached the back of his knee, a little longer than average, but not too long. The feathers were strong and stiff, almost completely covering the layer of down underneath bar where the black fluff was just visible between some of the red and black tall feathers. They were quite the sight to behold, a dark red at the base slowly darkening to black at the tips, lifting them gently he checked for any bent feathers and luckily found none, while also taking note that the inside was mostly black with only a few red feathers dotted around the base.

He recognized them as the feathers of a Summer Tanager, not common around this area, more found in North America but very nice. Half an hour later, Mikey awoke and immediately tried to get to the mirror, unbalancing himself as soon as he’d stood. Laughing as Gerard tried to help him up and figure out his new sense of balance. He like Gerard, picked it up easily but still stumbled when he moved to fast. Standing in front of the mirror, he gasped, loving the black, with red spots and telling Gerard so. Mikey appeared offended as Gerard laughed outright at him, and spun to face him.

Gerard went into the hallway, coming back quickly with the medium sized framed decorative mirror their mother kept. Struggling a little Gerard finally had it angled so if Mikey looked at it he would be able to see the red behind him.

“Woah” he breathed, curling his left wing around himself to try and see.

“They’re amazing aren’t they?”

“Yeah” still dazed Mikey looked up to flash Gerard a dazzling smile.

“And they won’t get you hurt either, so win/win” with a sad smile Mikey pulled Gerard to stand beside him in front of the mirror, rubbing between his shoulder blades to coax him into releasing his wings. And there they stood, side by side, standing so close, their outer layer of feathers interlocked.

Weren’t they just a sight.


	3. Prolouge 3/3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last of the prolouge, this is where our adventure begins.
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> (This chapter has non-descriptive violence, please be advised.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment 
> 
> SONG OF THE DAY: Lemon Boy- Cavetown
> 
>  
> 
> Gerard held no grudge against Mikey’s enthusiasm, he himself was glad Mikey never had to and never would go through what he had.

_Gerard held no grudge against Mikey’s enthusiasm, he himself was glad Mikey never had to and never would go through what he had._

\--

This day, he hoped would be like any other. It’d been a week since the growing of his wings, the week passing slowly with endless requests to see his wings, being the sixth eldest in the class meant there were five others who all wanted to compare wings with him. Each of the others having standard mixed brown wings with their own unique patterns, mid-thigh length and not yet strong enough for them to fly.

He’d have been completely happy to skip this day, and every Friday after it. Because Fridays, were heath days, the last class before lunch, and the one where the teacher would force him to talk about his experience and show his wings, to check them over for any disfigured areas that could be cause for concern. It was a routine he knew, the others all had to do it, but this was different, _he_ was different. God, he did not want to do this. By 11:50 class was going well, no mentions, no call outs, just twenty minutes to go and- he’d spoken too soon, like Mr. Rosso could hear his thoughts he began.

“Gerard!” all eyes were on him. Please stop.

“So I hear it was your birthday last week?” nodding slowly, Gerard silently begged him to let it go. It seems, he’s not telepathic after all as, he was ushered to the front of the class.

“Tell us about your experience.” His usual cheer rubbing off on the others as they all leaned forward in their seats, all but three of the winged assholes in the back, watching him with judging eyes.

“I bet he’ll have shit-brown wings” the smaller one, James snorted to the others, Caleb and their ringleader Jessie, not even trying to hide his rude comment, the others laughed,

“I’ll bet they’re tiny”

“Like the fairy he really is” to say the least all of them got Saturday detention.

“Come now Gerard, how’d it feel?”

“It hurt.” he mumbled bluntly.

“Is that all? Come on tell us more. Please?” Mr. Rosso had always been his favourite teacher, the old Italian man had always seen when Gerard was uncomfortable and never pushed, even letting him spend some lunch times in his office. But he couldn’t really hold this against him, if there was one thing Mr. Rosso loved more than anything, it was wings.

“If you don’t want to explain, at least answer some questions?” Bless that tiny old man. With a sigh he relented, wrapping his arms around his stomach, and refusing to tear his gaze from his shoes, nodding. “Ok guys, one by one ask questions, we don’t have much time left so I want to get through as much as possible.” Still refusing to look up, be waited for the first one.

“Did it really hurt?” he snorted.

“You’re growing appendages, yeah it kinda hurt.” But regretted his sass when they next person spoke up, this girl he recognized as Cindy a chubby ginger girl, who if he recalls correctly, is turning sixteen this weekend.

“Does… does it hurt a lot?” his guilt forced him to finally look up to give her a reassuring smile

“It’s not too bad, feels more weird then anything I guess, my advice is just make sure you’re in a warm room. Mine was cold and it sucked” she smiled gratefully at him, he deemed her the only tolerable one in the class, quiet and understanding, but takes no shit. She’d make a good friend if he had the courage to say hi.

“How long did it take?”

“Uhh… the growing about ten minutes, and the feathers about maybe five? I wasn’t really paying attention.”

“How long are they?” he hummed and reached down to point to mid-calf.

“About here?” a few murmurs started up, and he tried to ignore the assholes glaring at him for having longer wings than they have.

“Why don’t you show them off like the others?”

“Because I like to keep them to myself, not everything has to be flaunted. Everyone gets wings eventually, they aren’t special.” A few snickers and OooOoo’s directed at the assholes filled the room, their expressions darkening and wings puffing in agitation. He was so getting it. This carried on for about a minute, Mr. Rosso not even trying to defend them, just enjoying the embarrassment of his most troublesome students, before Jessie challenged him.

“If you’re so special then why don’t you show us yours!” His blood felt like lead in his veins. Only growing heavier as Mr. Rosso joined in on the prompting.

“Gerard I do need to see them, I have to check for injuries.” No.

“I’m fine” no, no, no.

“Why are you making this difficult?” oh god.

“Please just stop” Please, please stop.

“Gerard I need to see” he was losing his patience. With cry, he dropped his head in his hands and gave up his hold on his wings, letting them tear into existence. Silence. Then he ran.

At lunch it didn’t take them long to find him, those three assholes. They crowded him under his usual spot under the yew tree at the edge of the forest the school backs up onto. And before he knew it, they were taunting him, hitting him. Pushing him down each time, he tried to get away.

“The piece of shit doesn’t deserve wings like this. But I do.” With a laugh Jessie and his lackeys had him on the ground, and his scarf shoved in his mouth, tied behind his head. This was when Gerard truly became afraid. With all his strength, he thrashed and struggled, lashing out with his wings, too frightened to concentrate enough to tuck them away. Which is when the pain started, this horrible all-consuming pain, and for a moment Gerard thought he was dead, he was burning in hell for his skepticism in God, that had to be it, nowhere else would he feel such pain, or hear such screams.

Screams he didn’t realize were his own shrieks. It resonated from his back, but the pain despite it’s origin spread throughout his limbs, burning his throat. It was too much, he just wanted it to end, and he wanted to die. Anything, to get away from this. With this last wish in mind, he felt his consciousness slipping, unresisting as the darkness crawled in from the edges of his vision, the last thing he heard was malicious laughter, and whimpered as what he saw before giving in was the horrified face of his baby brother.

\--

He awoke nine days later in the hospital, on his stomach with numb limp wings covering him. His brother by his bedside, who ran off, then returned with their parents in tow moments later. He tried to call out to them, but only ended up tearing up in pain when his throat flared.

They’d tried to cut his wings off, they’d said, why, he didn’t know, didn’t care really. But they did. Snapped the still fragile bones connected to his shoulder blades, then carved into his flesh and muscle. He was in the hospital for two and a half weeks before he could speak again, his voice obtaining a permanent husk. Then was released just under a month after that, lucky, or so they said, to leave with only crescent shaped hypertrophic scars around each wing, eight months of future physical therapy and a psychological evaluation scheduled for the next Wednesday. Yeah, real lucky.

His parents took them out of school, and moved them to the other side of Belleville, soon enrolling Mikey into a private high-school, and signing Gerard up for online classes. He could only sit back and watch what his life had become, he locked himself away in the basement, ending up sleeping in there so much his parents moved his belongings down there one day while he’d been walking Mikey home from school. That was the only time Gerard was allowed out of the house, walking Mikey to and from school. And even that had taken a lot of convincing on both their parts before their parents agreed. He couldn’t blame them though, he still woke up screaming some nights. Others they’d walk in on Mikey applying numbing cream the hospital provided, for when the scars became too hypersensitive for him to handle.

It wasn’t until years later when he’d finished his university courses online and gotten a job in New York with Cartoon Network that he was finally allowed outside for longer than half an hour. It was a simple job, still rather secluded; he could work from home with only a weekly meeting in New York. But he loved it. He got to leave his house, _the town_ , for a whole day and got to work doing something he loved and was good at. On the plus side, it was relatively safe, so his parents weren’t too afraid to let him go.

Or so they thought. That terrible day in September changed him forever, he stood at the railing and watched as the icons went up in flames, as _bodies_ fell, and listened to the anguished cries of passengers behind him, who watched as people they knew and loved perished. It was a dark day, for everyone.

Only when he was almost home, did he realize his phone was still on silent from his meeting, being only a house or two away he didn’t bother to unlock it and just sped home. Skipping the steps to the doorway and reaching for his key, before he could reach the lock, the door violently swung open, denting the wall as it ricochet against it. He let his satchel drop from his shoulder and let his brother throw himself into his arms. They were both crying, Mikey in relief, he’d imagined the worst with his brother so close to danger, having almost lost him twice before, unable to bare losing him for good.

And Gerard, as what he had seen fully washed over him, he’d walked by those buildings on his way to the ferry home. He could have been there, could have never seen his family again, all those people who would never see family or friends again. The fire, the bodies, the screams. He couldn’t take it, and let his father guide the two into the living room, neither letting go of the other, but Gerard reached out to his crying mother, offering comfort as much as he was asking for it.

They’d tried to send him to extra therapy sessions, but he declined, he didn’t want to talk about it, if those families didn’t get to feel better than why should he? Instead, to vent in his own way he drew, he played and he wrote. It wasn’t long after that the first song Gerard had ever written came to existence. Skylines and Turnstiles was only the beginning.

**_Now his story begins._ **


End file.
